Ovulation signs are not as hard to identify as you might think. I understand how this can be intimidating for some women. Tracking…charting…temperature…what? I first had my lightbulb moment while I was sitting in a Women’s Health class during nursing school. I realized how amazing women’t bodies are and it is such important knowledge for us to have. Since that moment, eight years ago, I decided to start charting myself. I got my main information from these two great books:
– Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Think about how important a woman’s cycle comes is while she is trying to conceive? What about while she is trying to use more natural methods of birth control? Or maybe she is just curious about how her body works. Whatever that may look like for you right now I want you to have this knowledge to navigate through life. If you are in the postpartum time right now, please scroll down where I talk specifically about the postpartum and ovulation.
First Things First
The first thing you need to look at is how long your cycle actually is. The “regular” cycle is 28 days in length and sometime during the midpoint, day 14, is when you have your ovulation happen. There are a lot of apps out there nowadays that just assume that you cycle is 28 days and tell you that you are going to ovulate on day 14. This really depends on the woman’s body, as every body is different and just going off an app that does not know much about your body can give you false results.
Cervical Mucus
This has been the most effective way to tell if you are ovulating. Checking for cervical mucus everyday is very useful for a lot of women. You will start seeing a pattern with your cervical mucus going from a sticky white and progressing to an egg white. After your period, you will have a few days of dry environment. On these dry days (as long as you have been dry all day) semen cannot survive. After the dry days you will notice:
1st – Sticky white mucus
2nd – Creamy, lotiony, milky mucus
3rd – Slippery, egg white
4th – Back to dry
Your peak day of ovulation (day you are most likely ovulating) is the slippery/egg white day.
Every time you use the restroom, you can do a simple front-to-back wipe before you pee and then after to see which cervical mucus you will have that day. You will begin to see a pattern if you do this regularly.
Temperature
Temperature shifts in the time of ovulation, with it slightly lowering right before ovulation. After ovulation has occurred, the temperature will go up again. When charting temperature you have take it using a Basal Body Thermometer and you have to take it first thing in the morning even before you get out of bed. That may create a problem for you if you are:
- working at night
- have children that wake up at night regularly
Ovulation Kits
These kits can be pricey but THESE are the ones that are pretty effective and are affordable. The things about kits is that every kit is different, so you must read the directions before using them. There is an ovulation hormone (LH) that these kits detect, however, once you see that double line as positive that is not your peak day. Most of the time, once there is a positive double line, you are about to ovulate 12hrs after you see the shift happen.
It is important for you to use something else that intertwines with the ovulation kits such as checking for cervical mucus. The kits should only confirm your results. The kits also do not catch the initial sticky white mucus that semen can also survive in.
Postpartum
This is a sensitive area for mothers, because it truly is different for all mothers. There is a lot that goes into the postpartum time while your body changes. Some women get their periods back within a month after having the baby, some do not get their periods back until the baby starts solids. You can also get pregnant before that first period starts. So what are you supposed to do? Check for cervical mucus. Once you see the shift happen, then be cautious because ovulation may be happening soon.
If you are just starting to chart and you are in your postpartum time, then it could be a hard time to start. Your body is doing a lot hormonally and with your temperature, so the best thing is to keep checking your cervical mucus…everyday.
Do you track your ovulation? What do you use that has helped you the most? Write your comments down below.
Much love,
Krystina
